


A new cabin boy, vol. 2

by Haru D Nae (Anaelita)



Series: Around the Grand Line [3]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Canon Compliant, Chance Meetings, First Meetings, Gen, M/M, Origin Story, Pre-Canon, Shanks being cute because I can, why Buggy became a pirate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-26 01:03:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13846779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anaelita/pseuds/Haru%20D%20Nae
Summary: Buggy joins the crew.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fucked up timeline once again, this is the 3rd episode in the series. Bear with me !

Buggy is a runaway kid : he left his parents and joined the circus in hopes of finding fame and glory.

Life there isn't that easy though. Hard work under an abusive manager, insufficient meals more often than not, and the people making fun of his nose when they notice it's not red because of makeup or props... ugh ! Plus, the money isn't that good and the fame is only local. There, he decided, he wants to leave, and soon. He prepares a small bundle, carrying only a few treasured possessions : a small knife and his favorite clothes.

What will he do then ? Buggy met some pirates while working at the circus, went to talk to them during intermissions. Their life seems awfully more interesting than his : wealth, power, freedom to go wherever they please and do whatever they want... Okay, it's settled. He's going to be a pirate. Probably be a captain when he's older but for now he thinks embarking on the first pirate ship he finds, and thinking about the rest later is a good solution.

Lucky he is, he finds a great one. Seems clean and mighty, pretty much the kind of ship he'd like to have when he's older and he's a captain.

He hides in a barrel in the pantry and decides to wait for now, thinking about his plan for when he's found out.

 

* * *

 

Shanks sneaks in the pantry for a night snack, decides to take an apple, finds an awkward-looking one, grabs it-

"You bastard ! Don't make fun of my nose !" An angry Buggy shouts, getting up and grabbing the redhead by the collar.

Startled, Shanks asks, "W-who are you ? What are you doing here ?"

"I want to be a pirate."

Shanks cocks his head to the side, "Then why didn't you ask Captain ?"

Buggy's mouth gapes a little as he falls silent.

"Now you're gonna get grounded or something. Come on, follow me."

Shanks stealthily leads the blue-haired boy to his bunk. There he locks the door and starts explaining, "Maybe we could use another cabin boy. D'you know what they do ?"

"Not at all..."

"Cleaning, helping around in the kitchen and with maneuvers. And you get to learn how to fight. How does that sound ?"

"Neat", Buggy beams.

"How old are you ?"

"Twelve."

"Don't say that to Captain, like, say you're sixteen or something or you'll get grounded."

"My birthday is in August, I'll be thirteen then."

"I'm thirteen, my birthday was in March. But I told Captain and the crew I was seventeen so they'd let me join."

Buggy snorts, "And they believed you ?"

"I think Rayleigh knows I'm younger but, yeah, I guess."

"Who's Rayleigh ?"

"He's the First Mate. You'll get used to everyone and their names eventually."

"So what do I do for now ?"

"You sleep here, upper bunk's mine. We'll see tomorrow, decide what we say to the crew."

"Alright, thanks. Um, my name is Buggy by the way."

Offering a handshake, the redhead answers, "I'm Shanks. Good night."


	2. Chapter 2

Insistent knocks on the door wake up the two boys.

"Shanks ! You're late for deck cleaning ! Stop fapping or whatever is it that you're doing !"

The redhead grumbles, but recognizes the First Mate's voice, so gets up nonetheless. He blinks twice at the startled blue-haired boy in the bottom bunk bed but remembers the night before and the altercation that made him forget his night snack. "Hey, hide under the bed for now."

Buggy swiftly complies.

Shanks unlocks and opens the door to his bunk. "S'okay, I just wanted to sleep more."

"You're not supposed to, especially when you're on chore duty", Rayleigh scolds the kid.

Shanks ducks his head a little. "Aye, 'm sorry."

"Just go now."

The cabin boy leaves without further ado.

Rayleigh looks inside the bunk room, narrows his eyes at the unkempt bottom bunk bed, uses his Observation Haki to scan for uninvited presences aboard... and catches a wriggling Buggy from under the bed.

"Oi ! Leave me alone !"

"Certainly not."

Rayleigh brings the boy to Roger's cabin, earning a few questioning looks from crewmates across the decks as he crosses it. "Somebody bring me Shanks !"

The Captain raises an eyebrow at Rayleigh's entrance. "What do we have here ?"

"A clandestine passenger."

"Seems like we have an awful lot of them lately..."

Buggy pipes in, "I'm not a clandestine, I'm a pirate !"

Rayleigh's glasses slip down his nose a little, "Are you now ?"

"I wanna be a pirate. I wanna be rich and famous and free and that's what pirates are."

A crewmate enters the room, holding Shanks by the collar.

Roger inquires, "What is it this time ?"

The other answers, "Dunno, Rayleigh asked for someone to bring him Shanks so..." Then he waves a hand and leaves.

Shanks starts, seeing Buggy still wriggling against Rayleigh's vice-like grip. "I didn't do anything wrong !"

"Yes you did", the Dark King retorts, "You invited someone on board."

"Did not !"

"I came on my own !" Buggy supplies.

"Still, you hid him for the night and that is _not_ allowed.  You're on potato duty for the week."

Shanks grunts unhappily.

Roger intervenes, "Since we're at sea, they'd better make themselves useful."

Buggy almost begs, "I promise I'll be a good cabin boy ! I can clean, I can fight, I can help, I promise." In the privacy of his head, he also thinks it's the only option preserving him from being thrown at a Sea King, which he'd rather not, thank you very much.

Roger laughs. "Tell you what, you can stay if you work well, otherwise we'll leave you on the next island."

Buggy audibly sighs of relief.

Shanks smiles a little at the blue-haired boy.

Rayleigh shakes his head, sighing. "Alright, it's settled. You- what's your name ?"

"Buggy."

"Buggy, you're to follow Shanks everywhere he goes and help him with each and every task he's entrusted with. Since you've been sleeping in his bunk I assume you won't mind being assigned that very bed until we reach the next island ?"

"No sir."

"Then off you go."

The two boys answer in unison, "Aye, aye !"


	3. Chapter 3

A week has passed.

Buggy works hard every day and enjoys Shanks's company and he's starting to call him a friend, even if sometimes the redhead is infuriatingly annoying.

Far too soon to Buggy's taste, the ship reaches the next island and Roger casually asks Buggy to go ashore for supplies.

Buggy breaks out a sweat, thinks they're gonna get rid of him and no, he wants to be a pirate, his adventure can't stop here and-

Roger holds out a piece of paper with a groceries list on it.

Buggy catches it, mind reeling and legs shaking, but Roger doesn't let go of the list and instead catches Buggy's whole hand for a handshake. "Welcome to the crew, kid." The Pirate King smiles.

Buggy lets a single tear escape him, audibly sighing of relief.

Shanks comes to his new nakama and hugs him tight.


End file.
